NCJ Number
58178
Date Published
1977
Length
100 pages
Annotation
BY USING AN INNOVATIVE PATROL TECHNIQUE, MOTORCYCLES, PROJECT ESCORT ATTEMPTED TO REDUCE STREET CRIME IN A DENSELY POPULATED SECTION OF DENVER.
Abstract
THE CAPITOL HILL AREA ACCOUNTS FOR A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF STREET CRIME IN DENVER. THE RESIDENT POPULATION IS PREDOMINANTLY YOUNG AND SINGLE OR OLDER RETIRED INDIVIDUALS WHO LIVE THERE BECAUSE OF LOW RENTS AND PROXIMITY TO INNER CITY SERVICES. THE MAJORITY ARE LOW-INCOME, WHITE, AND RENT THEIR HOMES OR APARTMENTS. ALMOST 55 PERCENT ARE WOMEN. SEVERAL HOSPITALS IN THE AREA EMPLOY NURSES WHO LIVE WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE OF THEIR WORK. THESE RESIDENTS ARE VERY VULNERABLE TO OPEN-SPACE STREET CRIME, AND MOTORCYCLES WERE FELT TO BE THE ONLY SUITABLE VEHICLES TO PROVIDE PROTECTION BECAUSE OF THEIR HIGH VISIBILITY, ACCESSIBILITY TO THE PUBLIC, AND MOBILITY IN URBAN AREAS. THE MANPOWER FOR PROJECT ESCORT CONSISTED OF 20 OFFICERS AND 3 SUPERVISORS CHOSEN FROM VOLUNTEERS. BEFORE STARTING THE ASSIGNMENT, PATROLS WERE TRAINED IN MOTORCYCLE HANDLING AND MET WITH NUMEROUS COMMUNITY GROUPS. BEGINNING MID-1975, THE PROJECT OPERATED FOR 20 MONTHS WITH LEAA SUPPORT. EFFORTS WERE MADE TO ENSURE GOOD WORKING RELATIONS WITH REGULAR PATROL OFFICERS WHO PROVIDED BACKUP SERVICES. THE PROGRAM UTILIZED A SATURATION PATROL TECHNIQUE, TARGETING AREAS DESIGNATED AS RISKS BY CRIME ANALYSIS. INITIALLY, HONDA 200 MOTORCYCLES WERE USED, LATER TO BE REPLACED BY HONDA 360 MOTORCYCLES WITH MORE POWERFUL ENGINES AND HEAVIER COMPONENTS. THE PROJECT PRODUCED A TREMENDOUS RAPPORT WITH THE COMMUNITY AND HAD THE ADDED ADVANTAGE OF REDUCING RESPONSE TIMES TO EMERGENCY CALLS. PROJECT ESCORT SUCCEEDED IN REDUCING RAPE IN THE AREA BY 45 PERCENT, OPEN-SPACE SIMPLE ROBBERY BY 13 PERCENT, AND OPEN-SPACE AGGRAVATED ROBBERY BY 31 PERCENT. THE MOTORBIKE PATROL DID NOT APPEAR TO HAVE A DETERRENT EFFECT ON AGGRAVATED ASSAULT. COMMERCIAL BURGLARY WAS THE ONLY TARGET CRIME TO INCREASE. PROJECT ESCORT OFFICERS MADE ONSIGHT ARRESTS FOR RAPE, ROBBERY, AGGRAVATED ASSAULT, AND BURGLARY THAN REGULAR OFFICERS. THE ACCIDENT/MILE RATIO FOR THE MOTORCYCLES WAS IDENTICAL TO THAT FOR POLICE AUTOMOBILES, AND THE HONDA 360 WAS PROVED TO BE A COST EFFECTIVE VEHICLE IN COMPARISON TO OTHER MOTORCYCLES AND SEDANS. THE APPENDIXES CONTAIN STUDY DATA, 1970 DEMOGRAPHIC DATA ON THE TARGET AREA, AND PROJECT TRAINING MATERIALS. (MJM)